After the attack, the community center became more than a meeting place.
It became a fortress.
Not with walls and weapons — with people. Watches. Signals. Plans.
Everyone contributed.
Aiko organized schedules.
The leopard man — Kenji, his real brother — taught basic self-defense.
The tree girl — Yuna — created a network of lookouts using her old skills: patience, stillness, observation.
Haru and Kenji — Joceka — became the core. The ones others looked to when fear rose.
One night, sitting on the roof of the center, Kenji asked the question that had been building between them.
"Do you ever wish you could go back?"
Haru considered it.
"To the violet world?"
"Yeah."
"Sometimes." He paused. "Not to stay. Just... to see it one more time. To fly again. To fight without getting tired."
Kenji nodded slowly.
"I miss being part of you. Not in a weird way — just... the closeness. Knowing exactly what you felt without words."
Haru smiled. "I know what you mean."
They sat in silence for a while.
Then Kenji spoke again.
"What if they come back? The organization?"
"Then we fight."
"And if we can't win?"
Haru thought about it.
"Then we make sure they remember us. Remember what we fought for."
Kenji smiled.
"That's a good answer."